Fuji X Secrets Photo Tour – 12 Days

November 12th – November 23rd 2017

Fuji X Secrets New Zealand Tour with Rocky Nook author and Fuji X–Pert Rico Pfirstinger in association with the FUJI FILM School

The southern New Zealand is one of the most astounding landscapes on earth and its diversity has long been a magnet for landscape photographers. Join Fuji X-Pert and Rocky Nook author Rico Pfirstinger on the trip of a lifetime as we journey through through both the highlights and the hidden gems of the South Island. Assisting him will be New Zealand landscape photographer and guide Rob Brown and Lightroom whizz and landscape photographer Andreas Waldeck.

No matter what your level of photographic experience, this tour will provide the opportunities to grow your creativity as we explore three of New Zealand's National Parks as well as unique areas like the Catlins Coastline. Along the way we'll get to photograph everything from New Zealand's highest mountains and glaciers, through to rainforest and exquisite limestone coastal formations through to the delicate beauty of alpine flowers in the spring.

November is a great time for photography with the weather often changing and creating dramatic light. Going on a tour with an experienced guide is the best way to ensure you end up in the right place at the right time at these amazing locations.

This workshop is primarily for people working with the Fuji X System or thinking of changing over to the Fuji System. A highlight of this workshop is that we will have the new medium format Fuji GFX 50S camera that participants can try on location.

Mt Cook - Catlins - Fiordland - Central Otago

Aoraki/Mt Cook

Nugget Point Lighthouse

Doubtful & Milford Sound

Queenstown & Wanaka.

Mt Cook and the Southern Alps

HIGHLIGHTS

Day 1

We meet in Queenstown mid-morning and travel north to Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park, the home of New Zealand’s highest mountains. It’s the perfect time for photographing these mountains, with late spring meaning that many of the alpine flowers are at their best and the mountains are still fresh with winter snow. We’ll spend two nights here at our comfortable accommodation and there will be the opportunity for aerial photography over the mountains as well as exploring the park. In the evenings we’ll have access to a room for presentations on the finer points of the Fuji system.

Day 2

We spend all day in the National Park with a visit to the Hooker Valley and Tasman Glacier areas. We'll also get time in the middle of our day to go through the Fuji X system and the new GFX Medium format camera from Fuji.

Day 3

In the morning we continue to explore the many photographic opportunities of the Tasman Valley. In the afternoon we drive through to the historic coastal town of Oamaru before heading to the coast in search of penguins and diverse coastal landscapes.

Day 4

From our convenient accommodation we get an early morning shoot in at the famous Moeraki Boulders before continuing south to Dunedin. We have lunch here and a short break to see the city before heading down to the wild Catlins Coast and Rainforest Park. We'll stay two nights here to photograph the amazing diversity of this hidden part of New Zealand.

Day 5

The day starts with a sunrise shot at the Nugget Point Lighthouse. As the day progresses we will get the opportunity to photograph everything from wild beaches to lush rainforest at a variety of locations.

Day 6

The journey continues south to the wild and windswept south coast of the Catlins before heading inland to Lake Te Anau. Here we'll get a chance to relax and photograph some of the gems close to Te Anau before the overnight trip into Doubtful Sound.

Day 7

An early morning start sees us boarding the boat across Lake Manapouri and the remote Doubtful Sound. Here we will travel into the heart of Fiordland, the largest National Park in New Zealand and experience all the grandeur and serenity of this magic place. We overnight on this boat in well appointed cabins and there are numerous activities and photographic opportunities on the cruise around the sound.

Day 8

We finish our journey on Doubtful Sound and travel back to Te Anau. In the afternoon we drive along the spectacular road into Milford Sound. We spend the night here and get a chance to photograph Mitre Peak and Milford Sound.

Day 9

After an early morning shoot in Milford Sound we travel through to Queenstown. We spend the night here and explore the numerous photographic opportunities around Queenstown and Glenorchy.

Day 10

After an early morning shoot in the around Queenstown, we travel through to Lake Wanaka. Here we will spend our final two days based in the beautiful town of Wanaka. The afternoon sees us heading out to an area of wild highlands where we can photograph the changing light over one of the most spectacular panoramas in the South Island.

Day 11

We spend all day exploring the numerous opportunities around Wanaka. In the middle of the day there will be the opportunity for more post processing tuition as well as reviewing the photographs we have made in the last 10 days.

Day 12

A final opportunity for an early sunrise shoot before we travel over the Crown Range once more and our guides will drop you off back at Queenstown Airport for any connecting flights.

Tuition

We will try to maximise our time in the field with these workshops but there will also be time to go through all the basic camera settings, shortcuts, accessories and sensor cleaning methods as well as RAW editing and its tricks. More in depth tuition will also be available on exposure strategies, ISOless photography, dynamics enhancement and DR function, HDR, autofocus tips & tricks, Settings & white balance, camera remote control or Fuji's new flash system – nothing is left out and a Fuji X Secrets Workshop goes well beyond Rico's popular camera books to unlock the full power of these mirrorless cameras.

PRICE INCLUDES

Tuition by Rico Pfirstinger, Andreas Waldeck & Rob Brown

11 nights hotel accommodation (twin share, single upgrade available)

Transport during the tour

Queenstown pickup/drop off

DOC concession fees

Overnight cruise on Doubtful Sound

4x4 trip in Wanaka

Printed notes

Food is not included in the price. Because of the sunset and sunrise times at this time of the year we may end up having meals
at slightly odd times to make the most of the light

FURTHER INFORMATION

Class Size

Maximum group size of 9. Limiting class sizes ensures we provide you with the best learning environment possible, including expert guidance, instruction and personal attention, according to your learning style.

Itinerary

Our exact schedule will be determined according to the whole group’s photographic objectives and the weather. We keep a flexible itinerary to accommodate this. We will spend the workshop instructing and shooting, often from before dawn until after dark. At some point during the weekend the tutors will give a lecture on their photographic ability and how you can apply their systems and vision to develop your own unique style.

Transport

We will meet the group at Queenstown Airport at the start of the workshop and provide transport to the whole workshop and return you to Queenstown at the end of the workshop.

Physical Difficulty

A minimum level of physical activity is necessary to enjoy the workshop. All locations we shoot will be within an easy walk along the coastline, but sometimes over rocky beaches carrying your own equipment. If fitness or mobility is an issue please let us know - there are often locations which offer great shooting possibilities close to the road or our accommodation, or sometimes we also have the option to split the group.

Equipment & Experience

Ideally, you will have a basic knowledge of photography and be comfortable adjusting camera settings such as aperture and shutter speed. An aim of the workshop is to give you more confidence in the creative control of camera settings and shooting in manual mode. We will have a brief session at the start of the workshop, covering camera settings and controls, to be sure everyone is up to speed.

Camera Equipment: Our workshops focus on how to use your camera, not your type of camera. A basic list of recommended camera equipment can be found here

Clothing:A list of recommended clothing to wear on the workshop can be found here

Booking & Payment

A non-refundable deposit of NZD$1800.00 is required to reserve your space for the workshop. The remaining balance is due 60 days prior to the start of the workshop. You may pay in full at time of booking, the balance (minus the deposit) will remain fully refundable until 60 days before the workshop.